


I would rather lose a war than lose you

by karasunotsubasa



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Greek Mythology, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, AsaNishi, Bokuaka - Freeform, Fluff, Happy Ending, Kagehina Exchange, Kinda, M/M, Multi, Other, Secret Relationship, Sexual Content, Sneaking Around, also 'everybody hates kags' fic, and a spin on 'mysterious boyfriend crashes the engagement party', aohina, basically 'dad has enough of the kid's shit and demands he settles down' au, bc they're still japanese, daisuga are hinata's parents, hinata's the older one, hints of: - Freeform, iwaoi - Freeform, kurohina - Freeform, levhina, overprotective daichi, the only thing that's different is that they're gods, tsukhina friendship, tsukki and hinata are brothers, tsukkiyama - Freeform, with a hint of 'mom proposes a deal that satisfies all'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-12 08:32:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3350168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunotsubasa/pseuds/karasunotsubasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daichi, the God of Justice and father of Shouyou, the God of Pleasure, has had enough of his son's frivolous lifestyle that causes nothing but additional work for him and after seeking counsel with his husband Koushi, the God of Wisdom, they decide on the course of action - Shouyou will be getting married. The question is: to whom?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I would rather lose a war than lose you

**Author's Note:**

> written for the kagehina exchange event on tumblr for the lovely number: **104**
> 
> and here's a little message from me to you:  
> to start of, this thing is an incredible mess and I apologize for it beforehand ;u; you wanted nsfw and tbh I had absolutely no idea what to write and then this thing happened and I think I lost control over it somewhere around the smuty part so please forgive me *bows* idk what else to say, so I'll just go with this: we all know that kagehina aren't in love in canon (despite our wishes for it to be), but their relationship is still beautiful no matter what it is and that's just it, that's what I wish to you - the happiness of one day finding the hinata to your kageyama to brighten up your days and make you feel invincible ^u^ happy valentine's day!
> 
> tbh I feel like I need to explain a few things about this au in order not to cause any confusion to the readers:  
> \- using everyone’s first names bc I can  
> \- everyone is a god, or goddess, but that doesn’t matter much bc they are a kinda genderfluid bunch with the exception that they can literally change their gender whenever they want for as long as they want, and when I say change gender I mean become the gender (so when I say suga’s hina’s mother, I mean it, he turned into a female and went through all the pregnancy shit and actually gave birth to him. and then he did it again with tsukki)  
> \- and yes, tsukki and hina are brothers - hina is older just for shits and giggles and upholding to canon  
> \- there is no god of life/death bc daichi - the god of justice - kinda serves as the protector of the realm, and kags - the god of war - is considered the villain aka the guy that fucks up everything whenever he shows up
> 
> and I think that is finally all, so enjoy!

"I can't believe he did it _again_ ," Daichi almost whined, slumping down onto the closest chair and pulling Koushi out of the trance he always put himself in while reading.

The silver-head blinked a few times to chase away the images of hounds chasing wild horses across the plains of green under the scorching sun and turned his focus on his husband, closing the book with a light smile at Daichi's apologetic look. He shook his head lightly, standing. There was no need to apologize, not when this weird sort of exasperated resignation marred the other's face.

Perching on the arm of Daichi's chair, Koushi reached out his hand and run his fingers through short, black hair in a soothing gesture.

"Who did what now?" he asked calmly.

"Shouyou," Daichi whined, his arms circling around Koushi's waist, while he hid his face in the material of his white robe.

And he didn't have to say more. Koushi hummed in recognition, his hand never stopping its petting. That one was beginning to become a real problem, not only for their family, but for the rest of Gods _and_ humans too. It wasn't that they desperately wanted Shouyou to curb his urges, they both knew that being the God of Pleasure had its ups and downs - some quite literal, but Koushi refused to think of _that_ in the context of his son - but that still didn't mean they approved of all of his flings. Especially when said flings started out wars.

Koushi felt a deep sigh ripple through Daichi's body as the God of Justice nuzzled his face deeper into his side.

"I just want him to settle down and stop giving me so much trouble." There was no anger in his voice, just this precious concern over one's child's wellbeing, and a small smile tugged at Koushi's lips. "Did you know that this time he slept with a human general and apparently it was the reason why his whole army awaited my judgement the next day? Three hundred thousand souls! I thought that line would never end!"

Koushi laughed softly. "That must have been so tough," his voice lightly teasing.

"Are you making fun of me?" Daichi looked up at him and Koushi only smiled innocently in response.

"Of course not," he said, retreating his hand from the other's hair. "I would never do such a thing."

Daichi's half-hearted glare told him clearly how much he thought of his words and Koushi chuckled, shaking his head lightly, the barely audible trill of bells filling the air as it moved.

"How about arranged marriage, then?" he asked, returning back to the topic at hand. "For Shouyou. We would have to go through a list of possible candidates to filter out—"

Daichi's warm lips on his stopped his sentence short, and when the God of Justice pulled away, his brown eyes shone with gentle warmth of love and adoration.

"You, my lovely husband, are a blessing," he said in full seriousness, making Koushi's cheeks colour slightly.

"Oh, stop it, Daichi," Koushi chided, swatting at the other's arm without any force behind it. "Advising you is my job, after all, and Shouyou is our son. I'm obviously as concerned about this as you are."

"All the more reason to love you," Daichi said with a smile that made Koushi's heart flip. "I'll go tell him about this, maybe together we'll find the best candidate without even trying."

Suddenly alarms blared in Koushi's head and he sprang up to his feet, quickly following after Daichi. Because if he was one thing, Koushi was a very capable God of Wisdom. As such, he could perfectly predict how their son would react to this proposition at the stage it was: lots of yelling, maybe even throwing of objects, then sulking and pouting, general negligence of duties and disobedience, until... he would most probably run away from them. And with Daichi's temper... To say the least - things would get rather ugly rather fast.

"Oh dear," he sighed quickening his steps across the castle halls.

 

* * *

 

"Just one more," Shouyou whispered against his lips, his breath hot and smelling so sweet that before he knew it, Tobio gave in and covered the other's mouth with his own.

Shouyou tasted of sun-swelled peaches, luscious and warm, always pulling Tobio deeper in even though he tried to resist. The hands that sneaked up his shoulders, the fingers swirling his raven hair between them in lazy curls, the nails gently scraping his skull and sliding down to his neck to leave red marks on his pearl-white skin in a gesture intimate and possessive enough to make him shiver.

Tobio allowed himself to fall back on the messy bed of pillows on which they have just moments ago celebrated their reunion, pulling Shouyou on top of him to which he complied with a guttural noise of content. With one hand on the smaller God's barely-clothed hip, Tobio sneaked the other around Shouyou's neck, bringing him down and down, right to his lips. The slow, lazy kisses were quickly blooming into something more urgent, something neither of them could really control (though he might be wrong about it, Shouyou was the God of Pleasure after all).

When Shouyou's ass, which was sat directly over Tobio's crotch started moving, he had to take a deep breath to stop himself from rooting back into him.

"We have just done that," he said, as if the heavy smell in the room wasn't clue enough.

"But I want to do it again," Shouyou replied, the most obvious of answers. And then added something that completely crushed any self-control Tobio might have had: "I want _you_."

An animalistic urge to have and posses overtook Tobio's reasoning and he flipped them over in one fluid motion, hungry and rash. His hands pinned the slender wrists to the silk sheets underneath them and he only paused to sling the material of Shouyou's long, side-cut, nearly transparent robe away, and pushed inside him, deep enough to groan. It was drowned in the other's cry, pain, pleasure, surprise meshing in it and echoing of the marble walls and golden ornaments.

Tobio looked at the body beneath him, arched in a perfect angle, and the dark side of his being - the one that whispered the songs of blood and murder as he hovered above the corpses of fallen soldiers on the battlefields - whispered in his ear, hushed, raspy, thirsty:

"Violate him," it said. "Soil his skin with your touch, bury him deep in your arms, intoxicate him - so that he suffers and never has enough."

Tobio's arms trembled from the sheer effort of holding back. Shouyou was tight, but not as tight as before, their earlier ministrations enough to loosen him up to properly receive him without further stretching. His body soft and pliant under Tobio's hands, responding to his every caress, even now when it was arched off the sheets in an effort to cope with his sudden entrance. Tobio could see the way Shouyou's chest heaved with shallow, shaky gasps, stopping with every move that sent another sensation - be it pain or pleasure - throughout his body.

And when Shouyou's breath finally returned to him, amber eyes opened, and this time it was Tobio's breath that seemed to have disappeared in a blink.

He didn't want to hurt this creature, this beautiful, trusting creature that had saved his life when he was wounded in a mutinous attempt at his life. This creature that nursed him back to health, that whispered sweet nothings into his ear as he trashed around haunted by feverish dreams. Tobio was a God of War, violent, cruel, unfair. And yet there he was, being helped, shown kindness such as Tobio has long forgotten how to receive.

In turn, for saving his life, no matter how horrid and loathsome it was, he promised himself and this creature to cherish him and protect him, curbing the dark urges on leashes shot enough to hurt. But as long as it was him and him alone that suffered through it, he was happy enough to keep his word.

Light touch of a warm hand on his shoulder brought him back from the silent struggle against his demons and bright amber eyes gazed into his, as if they could see to the depths of his being, kind and understanding.

"You don't have to hold back with me," the thumb caressing his cheek slowly slid down, brushing against Tobio's lower lip, and even further down, ghosting across his Adam's apple. "I will take all of it, the kindness, the sorrow, the pain, the violence, anything and everything you want to give. All of you."

"You don't know what you're saying," he ground through his tightly grit teeth, feeling the darkness buckle around him.

"I don't," Shouyou admitted, his eyes never loosing the light that seemed to be the only thing that kept Tobio in control. "That's why I want you to show me."

Tobio groaned, smelling rather than feeling the darkness that now clung tight to his shoulders like a cloak. It smelled of blood and dirt, of sweat, decaying corpses and dry leather. And in all of this, right before him, was Shouyou. The God of Pleasure could now as well be the God of Light, he shone with an inner glow, skin, eyes, hair - all so bright Tobio thought he was the sun itself.

He closed his eyes, chasing away all thoughts, every single one of them, and blindly thrust his hips forward, starting the pace slow until his mind was responsive enough to share in the body's pleasure. Only when it was clear of the brooding, did he allow himself to glance down, and when he did, a new hunger awakened in his stone-cold heart.

Tobio did know what love looked like, he could recognize the signs, the gazes, the presents, the touches. But he did not know how it felt like. The vaguest of his ideas consisted of affection, the wish to protect and selflessness, all of which were strange concepts to him who had never felt them. Yet in that moment, when Shouyou leaned up for a hungry kiss, his tongue, sweet and smooth, delving into Tobio's mouth and claiming every inch of him, and his hips moved in perfect unison with his own, meeting him thrust for thrust as their bodies grew hotter and hotter, Tobio's arms holding him closer than it was necessary; in that moment, just for a second, Tobio felt like this might have been it. That this - the sound of skin slapping on skin, the smell of fresh sweat on the heated skin, the groans and moans, half-pants and breaths that filled the air - this might have been it.

Not the violent ripping of flesh, not the scent of blood from gashes made by sharp nails, not the pained cries and pleas to stop, but a gentle arm around the waist pulling Shouyou closer, the legs that urged him forward, the lips, swelled and red from kissing, that parted to breathe out "faster". This might have been it. The love he had never felt, and probably never would.

With the last conscious effort, Tobio leaned in and kissed the chilled from the gasps, dry lips, loosing himself in the feeling of tight walls clenching around him. He pushed, and pushed, and pushed, and each of the pushes was rewarded by a mewl, soft and whiny, a groan, throaty and bursting from deep within Shouyou's chest, a breathless pant that stole his own breath the very same second.

He reached down his hands, grabbing Shouyou's thighs from underneath and pulling them up, nearly bending him in half. His hips never stop moving, thrusts deep and quick, so powerful that some of the pillows slid of the bed that shifted together with them. With eyes half-closed, Tobio watched Shouyou's straining cock leak onto the front of his robe, wetting through it and sticking to his skin. The messy picture Shouyou presented underneath him - his tousled hair, fiercely blushing face, drooling mouth and dishevelled, stained with pre-cum clothes -  made Tobio groan and push in deeper.

His fingers twitched with the need to touch and he propped one of Shouyou's calves on his shoulder, freeing one of his hands, just as he turned the other God to the side. The change of the position was welcome and Tobio's hips quickened their pace even more, his hand reaching down to curl around Shouyou's hot length, pumping it up rhythmically, in sync with his thrusts.

"Yes!" Shouyou moaned, his voice breathless but loud, even though his face was hidden in a pillow that should have muffled it. "Harder, Tobio..." Shouyou's fingers clenched on the sheets until his knuckles turned white. "Please, I'm—"

A sharp, choked cry ripped out of his mouth as Tobio complied and tightened his hand on the other's cock, jerking it off faster, while his thrusts turned more frantic. He could feel the upcoming climax, the heat welling in his body as if he was about to burst. And it did soon after, his groan turning into a breathless pant as he continued to ride off his orgasm. It was only a few strokes of his hand later that Shouyou's walls clasped on him tight, making him moan out a curse at the feeling.

When he finally pulled out and collapsed next to him, Shouyou curled into his side without a word, his warm presence a soft lull to Tobio's senses. He allowed himself to relax, only enough to bring the other closer and take a deep breath of his scent. Even though he smelled of sweat and sex now, his skin still retained that blissful fragrance of the sun-touched grass and Tobio found himself reluctant to let him go.

But he had to go back.

Pretending to kiss him on the cheek, Tobio took one more whiff before he disentangled himself from Shouyou and stood up from the bed, putting on his clothes. Warm arms caught him in the middle, fists clutching at the material of his upper robe, as he tied up the sword belt. He could feel Shouyou's face nuzzling into his back in an effort to delay his departure.

But he had to go.

Tobio turned, and Shouyou allowed it, immediately burrowing his face in his chest and holding onto him with the same force as before. Pale fingers combed through ginger hair in a gentle caress, until amber eyes glanced up at him, mellow and bright. Shouyou opened his mouth to say something when a knock sounded through the silence.

"Shouyou, open up, we need to talk!"

Tobio cursed under his breath, withdrawing from Shouyou completely and quickly throwing his cloak over his shoulders. He did not want to meet the God of Justice under these circumstances. Hell, he didn't want to meet him at all. It was no secret in the realm that the God of Justice hated the God of War with real passion and Tobio was not about to risk finding out what the other would do if he found him banging his son.

He was already turning towards the window when another knock - this time more like a bang - made the door rattle.

"I know you're in there, Shouyou," came a seemingly calm voice. "If you don't open this door now, I'll blast it open!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" Shouyou yelled back, moving off the bed.

With one leg on the windowsill, Tobio felt a tug on one of his arms and when he looked back he was met with a quick peck to his lips and a gentle shove.

"Go before my dad finds you here," Shouyou whispered urgently and Tobio had to fight the urge to roll his eyes.

"That was the plan all along, idiot," he whispered back, and before Shouyou could puff up enough to offer any offensive response, he placed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips.

It was meant to be quick, but Shouyou's hands cupped his face, holding it in place as he kissed him again, and once more and—

The door blasted open and Tobio cursed vehemently as he jumped out the window, his black cloak billowing around him, the air swishing in his ears, until his feet bumped into the bottom of his four-horsed chariot. It took only one snap of the leather reins to have it moving and in a second he disappeared into the darkening horizon, leaving a trail of smoke and smell of burning wood and gunpowder in his wake.

 

* * *

 

Back at the castle, Daichi glared daggers at his son's innocently blinking eyes.

"Was that really who I think it was?"

He wasn't angry, no. He was seething. Fists clenched tight at his sides in order to restrain the urge to call on his mount and chase after the already disappearing God to punch his face in just for good measure. There was nothing the God of Justice hated more than the cruelty and plain abuse of rules that the God of War brought along. For one, it made his job that much harder. Judging souls wasn't an easy piece of cake and War made everything far more complicated than it would have been without it. But that wasn't all.

What bothered Daichi to the point of stealing his sleep was the fact that everything Kageyama touched sooner or later was brought to destruction, be it at its own hands or those of others. It was said that his own men couldn't stand the capricious God, following his orders only in fear of retribution. And that was always beyond cruel, they have learned that recently after the failed attempt on Kageyama's life. Daichi was the one to judge the poor souls that suffered the consequences of their mutiny and the stories he heard... 

Daichi would sooner kill another God than allow his son to succumb to the corruption and decay of Kageyama's hands.

"I don't know what you're talking about, dad," Shouyou moved away from the window and draped a red cloak around his shoulders to cover his nearly transparent under-robe.

Daichi's eyes narrowed.

"It was Kageyama, wasn't it?" he asked, knowing the answer already, but prodding, testing.

If only Shouyou was honest with him, if only he told him the truth... Maybe then they wouldn't have to do it the hard way, maybe they could talk it through and—

"Of course not," Shouyou denied and Daichi's heart fell. "What would the God of War want with me?"

The God of Justice sighed, heavy feeling of dread settling on his shoulders. He noticed his husband stepping inside the room and stopping in the door, silent, watching. He looked beautiful with that small concerned frown on his face. That was whom Shouyou wanted to have at his side. Someone just like Koushi. To support him, to advice him, to keep him out of trouble - not bring more in.

With renewed determination, Daichi looked back towards Shouyou.

"I wanted to ask your opinion, do it in a way that we could both agree on, but you leave me no choice," he started, noticing the interest in his child's raised eyebrows. "I'm sorry, Shouyou, but tomorrow I'm sending out word that we are looking for a husband for you."

"Wh-what?!" Shouyou managed out, his voice high-pitched, face reddened with anger. "You can't do that!"

"I can and I will," Daichi said, straightening. "It has gone on long enough and if you can't control yourself enough to accept that, I swear I will marry you off to Asahi."

There was a heartbeat of silence, where Shouyou stood with his head bowed, trembling in what Daichi supposed was suppressed anger. But then he raised his head and amber eyes flashed dangerously in a way that made the God of Justice suddenly wary of his own son.

"You do that," Shouyou said and his voice was so unlike the usual one - lower and deeper, almost threatening. "And you will never see me again."

Before Daichi could stop him, he stormed off the room, the robe swishing angrily around his ankles. With a profound frown, the God of Justice turned to follow him when a gentle hand on his arm stopped him. He looked to the side and saw Koushi shaking his head lightly, his eyes crinkles in sad weariness.

"Let me talk to him," he said and Daichi sighed.

Why was it always so hard for him to remain impartial when it came to Shouyou? He would get stubborn and say things that were not necessarily needed to reach an agreement and then it would all blow up in his face.

The God of Justice nodded his consent to which his husband smile a little, a reassuring squeeze to his arm, and then watched Koushi leave in search of Shouyou, the heaviness slightly lifting off his shoulders. If anyone could smooth out this situation, it would be the God of Wisdom, Daichi knew for sure.

 

* * *

 

Koushi found him in front of one of the colourful flower beds in the more secluded part of the garden, where Shouyou had always run off to when something troubled him, ever since he was a child. And although the problems he struggled with gained in magnitude, this habit didn't change much throughout the years and deep down Koushi was glad. It meant that despite his appearance, despite the job he had to do as the God of Pleasure, despite the many different things they could never agree on - some part of Shouyou still didn't change.

Shouyou could scream and pout, throw things and be a general menace in the castle, but once here, in the garden, he turned quiet as if afraid to disturb the beautiful nature around. Such was also the case this time when Koushi's footsteps on the crunching leaves betrayed his presence, amber eyes shifting to him in silence but allowing him to approach.

Once he got closer, Koushi only sat down on the grass next to Shouyou, without care for the stains on his white robe. They sat in silence for a while, only breathing in the peace of the garden that helped to clear up the mind.

"Why?" Shouyou finally spoke, turning his head to look at Koushi.

His eyes were pained, saddened, angry, so many emotions Koushi was secretly surprised he wasn't raging.

"He's worried about you," he said gently in response. "We both are."

He watched Shouyou open his mouth and then close it, looking away with a pout.

"You don't have to be, I can take care of myself," he grumbled.

Koushi's lips quirked into a small smile.

"We know," he admitted. "But wouldn't it be nice to have someone share the burden at times? Someone who isn't your mother and father?"

"But I don't want to marry Asahi!" Shouyou whined, falling back onto the grass and rolling from side to side in frustration, making Koushi's smile widen. "For one, he's totally not my type. And secondly, Noya would skin me alive, you know they have a thing going on. I can't betray a friend like that."

"Ah, that, yes," Koushi nodded in recognition. "I bet your father was joking, he'd never pull them apart like that."

A brief period of silence followed his statement, during which they both looked at the dusky sky. It was still maybe an hour or two before first stars would show up.

"I think it's a good idea," Koushi said without looking at his son, knowing Shouyou was listening. "I know you'll fight for your freedom, but it would really give us some peace of mind if you only just considered it. I know Daichi said he'll send the word tomorrow, but we can put it off a bit. We can sit down and talk through the candidates until you find someone who suits you. Just think about it for now, okay?"

He turned to Shouyou, expecting an answer, but when it came, it was nothing he ever imagined.

"There is someone," Shouyou said, sitting up and hiding his face in his hands, though his muffled voice was loud enough to reach Koushi's ears. "But dad will never agree to it, I just know he won't. He has always hated him."

Hate was such a strong word. Koushi doubted there was anyone Daichi actually _hated_ , but once he scanned his memory to find any possible Gods that might have belonged in this category, he had found a whole three of them: the God of Beauty, the God of Deceit and the God of War. While Daichi's opinion about Oikawa and Kuroo was not of the highest note, he somehow respected them as masters in their own right, but Kageyama... Kageyama was a different matter, Koushi knew.

What remained a mystery, however, was how exactly did Shouyou come to know Kageyama, since the two of them have never been introduced to each other officially. Koushi would even go as far as to say Kageyama had never even attended any of the meetings Daichi called in. So how was it possible that Shouyou's heart was somehow captured by the fierce God of War?

"It's Kageyama, isn't it?" he stated, more than asked, smiling at the surprise in Shouyou's eyes when he snapped his head up.

"I hate that you know everything," Shouyou grumbled, looking away and tucking his knees to his chest.

"Hardly," Koushi replied with a small shake of his head. "I'm just good at deduction. But why Kageyama?"

Shouyou's mouth opened, then closed, and opened again.

"I- He-" he took a deep breath to collect his thoughts. "I don't know?" He looked somewhat helplessly at Koushi. "He just _feels right_."

"Feels right, huh?" the God of Wisdom let his head fall back to gaze at the sky.

Many years back he said the same thing about Daichi, he remembered that till this very day. It was way before he became the God of Justice and gained his reputation as a just ruler. His parents wanted Koushi to aim higher than Daichi, to climb up in the social circles, to make their lives more comfortable. But he refused the offers left and right. Just because Daichi was the only one who could make him _feel_. Who would have guessed their son would inherit his gift of premonition?

"I understand," he finally said, looking at Shouyou. "He's important to you." At the small nod, he continued, "But you need to understand us, too, Shouyou. We want all the best for you and frankly, Kageyama is far from the best for anyone."

Shouyou opened his mouth to argue, his eyebrows narrowed, eyes slightly betrayed. Koushi put a finger to his lips in a hushing gesture.

"Let me finish," he asked, and after another nod, this time careful and distrustful, picked up where he stopped. "How about we make a deal? We can go over the candidates together and you can pick the ones that feel right to you. And if there is no one like that, I will convince your father to accept Kageyama."

"You'll do that?" Shouyou's face lit up, bright like the summer sun, and Koushi had to fight back an answering smile of his own in order to stress the seriousness of the situation.

"I will, but only if you give it a real try," he agreed.

He knew he was biased already, and that if Shouyou was a little more devious he'd see through the loop in this plan, but he sincerely hoped that the innocent affection he held in his son's heart would be enough to make him open-mindedly consider the possible candidates. And he secretly hoped it'd be enough to appease Daichi, too.

"Yeah, I will, I promise," Shouyou hugged him tight and Koushi returned it, smiling. "Thank you so much."

They sat embracing each other for a while, but then Shouyou squirmed out of his arms. He watched the young God scramble to his feet, brushing the grass off of his robe. Once Shouyou was done he leaned down to place a kiss to his cheek and then Koushi was left alone, watching him leave with a smile back on his face, the heavy lines of worry gone from his small frame.

"Apologize to your father before you go to bed!" he shouted at Shouyou's back, getting a single wave of his hand in recognition.

Falling back onto the still warm from the sun grass, Koushi looked up at the dark sky. Why did children have to grow up so fast?

 

* * *

 

The next week was busy with all the names and faces Shouyou had to acquaint himself with and the castle positively vibrated with gossip about the young God of Pleasure who was finally looking for a husband to settle down. It was no wonder then that when Shouyou returned to his chamber one late evening, a great, black as the night crow - a messenger from Tobio - was waiting on the windowsill with a small note tucked in its beak.

Closing the door after himself, Shouyou wasted no time in unrolling the parchment.

_Are the rumours true?_

He turned it around, but that was it. One line, one question. Shouyou frowned.

He could blindly answer with another one-liner, sensing Tobio's anger in the messy scrawl, but that would only serve to aggravate both of them further. So swallowing his pride, Shouyou sit down at the small table beside the huge window and lined out the letter.

Full length, describing every detail of the deal between him and his parents, the various candidates and his feelings about them (adding also that some might have been more or less acceptable, but it was Tobio Shouyou really wanted and he was dead set on having his way), and asking...

The hand that up till now freely glided across the paper stopped, trembling.

This was a really huge step in their relationship, Shouyou knew. They only knew each other for a few months, but with the prospect of being wed to a complete stranger, Shouyou felt like it was the best he could hope for. And there was also the way Tobio made him feel.

Their first meeting was hardly conventional and to be honest, Shouyou was trembling in fear at the sight of a blood-covered God of War who stumbled onto the small clearing where Shouyou and his horse were resting on their journey to his brother's castle. He had heard the stories, how cruel and violent the God was, how he ruled over his people with an iron fist. Shouyou was paralyzed with dread, but then Tobio slumped to the ground and stopped moving, and in his first instinct, all of Shouyou's nerves told him to run, save himself because the God he had came across was not one to be trusted. He knew he should have jumped on his horse and rode away as fast as possible, but looking at the motionless body, a bleeding motionless body, Shouyou couldn't do it.

Instead, he turned around and picking up the unconscious God, took him to the small hut nearby. It was hidden behind the waterfall of trees, leaves concealing it from sight, making sure that no one disturbed them. And then for the next two weeks Shouyou took care of him: fed him, bathed him, cleaned and bandaged the wounds, wiped the sweat of the feverish forehead, sung soft lullabies during the incidents of recurring nightmares. During that time, he acquainted himself with the God's body - how he breathed, how his voice sounded when in need, how his fingers grasped at the air in an attempt to catch something. But what Shouyou did not know at that time and he wasn't curious enough to find out, so he gently held those hands whenever they reached out, humming an old lullaby under his nose.

When the fever broke and the sharp, cutting, dark blue eyes glared at him the fear briefly returned, freezing him with a piece of wet cloth above Tobio's forehead. The God must have noticed it in his widened eyes, because he sat up and struggled to get out of bed to leave. It was like a slap across his face, Shouyou recalled, the anger hit him faster than the fear did, and he pushed Tobio back onto the bed, ignoring his colourful protests. Only after Shouyou asked him - very kindly and with no physical force used at all - not to ruin his efforts at keeping him alive, did the God calm down enough to lay back down.

He was still too weak to travel, so the next week they spent on short chats, awkward silences and angry mumbling when the other couldn't hear. It was somehow amusing, Shouyou had to admit, but when Tobio dared to criticize his cooking, he had reached the tolerance limit and threw his bowl of soup straight at the God of War's head. The air between them crackled with something Shouyou couldn't name and before he knew it, he had a face full of the soup from Tobio's bowl, laughing until tears glistened in his eyes. When he looked up, he was met with a grumpy face, but the God's lips quirked in a light smile betrayed him, making Shouyou's eyes glisten in the candlelight.

It spiralled from there: the secret meetings, sneaking around the castle, dates in the light of the moon when his parents were already deep asleep. And then the room visits started. Being who he was, Shouyou couldn't really hold back on those things and Tobio was only happy to oblige. From friends they turned into something else, something that often times made Shouyou wonder, but he could never voice his thoughts out loud because this was all too new, too fresh to touch upon the serious. Instead, they fooled around, played with each other, argued like an old married couple—

The ink fell from his quill staining the parchment and Shouyou cursed under his breath. Now Tobio would see the proof of his hesitation. He considered rewriting the whole letter, but then shrugged. Let him see. If this was enough to stop him, then he wasn't worthy of trying at all.

_Do you want to marry me?_

Shouyou released the breath he didn't even know he was holding. And then finished the rest.

_If yes, then come to the gathering tomorrow. My father will be presenting the candidates and if you appear there, my choice will be that much easier._

_If no... then this is a goodbye._

_I await your decision, hoping it agrees with my heart._

He didn't sign it, there was no need to. Shouyou let the ink dry of and then folded it neatly, giving it back to the crow who wasted no time in snatching it and flowing out the window. Watching it disappear in the night, Shouyou's heart clenched anxiously. Because no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't figure out Tobio's answer.

 

* * *

 

Shouyou wasn't anxious the next morning. He was scared shitless. The Gods and Goddesses gathered at the feast gawked at him openly and he had to smile and suffer through it, wishing deeply for this torture to finally end. There were so many people there, all looking for a sign of weakness, for him to cause a scandal... and Shouyou couldn't help but hope they would not be disappointed.

He did not receive any note back from Tobio, which could mean one of two things: the God refused to appear - meaning he didn't want to marry Shouyou, which hurt, and hurt a lot; or he simply didn't have the time and would show up, bringing mayhem and destruction to Daichi's careful plan. Shouyou swallowed thickly. It would be so much easier to just pick one of the Gods his father approved of, but Shouyou knew that in his case easier did not always mean better.

"Who would have guessed my irresponsible big brother would be getting married before me," a mocking drawl from the side made Shouyou twirl in his place to glare at Kei. "What happened? Are you under a spell?"

"Shut up, you bastard," Shouyou scowled profoundly. "Dad's making me do it, it's not like I chose this."

A little hum was his only answer as Kei stopped next to him. "So who is the unlucky guy?"

He was about to snap something at his obnoxious little brother, but then... What was the point? Shouyou sighed in resignation, shaking his head.

"I don't know," he smiled forcefully at the wave of new guests.

"You don't know?" Kei repeated slowly.

"I don't," Shouyou looked up at him. Oh, how he hated that this little sweet kid had to grow up into a sarcastic jackass and _a head_ _taller than him at that_. "We made a deal, but I've also done some planning of my own and I don't actually know if the guy I want will even show up, so I'm just a wrecking ball of nerves here and you," he stabbed the God of Lie's chest with his finger, glaring at him again. "You're not helping."

They were silent for a while, just standing there and looking at the vast sea of differently coloured robes of their guests. So many people, just for him, waiting for the tiniest slip. Shouyou felt sick again.

"I hope it turns out okay for you," he heard Kei say and he was so shocked at the sincerity in his voice that his mouth dropped open in a perfect 'o', which Kei obviously noticed and grimaced. "It's not that, I just don't want you to come banging at my door, asking for a place to stay because mom and dad kicked you out. I'm not _that_ kind."

"You're not kind at all, asshole," Shouyou laughed, swatting him on the arm. It was warm though, and today more than ever, he appreciated the gesture. "But thanks."

Another hum was sent back to him as Kei looked around and then shivered with a grimace.

"Just promise me not to pick Oikawa," he asked and Shouyou's eyes turned to the God of Beauty who was currently rearranging his hair using his silver cup as the mirror. "Family dinners with him would be a nightmare."

"He is on the list, you know," Shouyou said conversely, watching his little brother flinch and turn to him with disgust clearly written all over his face.

"Really? And I mean, _really_? _Him_?"

"Oh, shut up," Shouyou pushed him lightly. "Go find your better half, you're much easier to bear with him holding your leash."

Kei only snorted, but turned around and left in search of his partner, the God of Virtue. Shouyou was not allowed any peace of mind, however, when the God of Wisdom rounded on him, giving him a one-armed hug in silent support.

"So what's the plan?" Koushi asked in a conspiratory whisper that made Shouyou more nervous than everything before.

"The plan?" he asked, smile turning forceful. "What plan?"

Koushi only looked at him. "Kageyama. Is he coming?"

Drawing in a shaky breath, Shouyou looked away.

"I don't know."

The heaviness of the silence between them slumped Shouyou's shoulders and he ignored Noya's cheerful wave, quickly looking away. He felt like dying, the anticipation and worry making his usually bright eyes dark and dull.

"Hey, it's okay, Shouyou," the other finally said and pulled him into a full hug. Koushi smelled of love, safety and childhood, and slowly Shouyou relaxed in his hold. "I'll back you up no matter what, so just take a deep breath and see it through, no matter the result."

He nodded the tiniest bit, not really sure if he'll be able to pull it off, but trusting in his mother's words. The sound of a knife clanking on a goblet rang in his ears, coming from the front of the room and Shouyou's shoulders stiffened again as he turned around to face his father. So much for a deep breath, he thought bitterly.

"Welcome, friends," Daichi's voice boomed across the air, reaching everyone easily. "I have asked for your presence here today on a very joyous occasion. You see, my eldest son, Shouyou," here Daichi raised the gold goblet in his direction, "had finally decided to marry."

A murmur went through the crowd, eyes glancing to him, some openly staring and Shouyou swallowed the bile that threatened to rise up his throat any moment.

"Amongst you are the few whom he thought worthy of his hand. As per tradition, during the feast those of you will receive a small note in a red envelope, asking you to move to a different location. If you are interested, please follow the guidelines. If not, feel free to destroy the note. And above all," Daichi raised his goblet high, the fires of the torches glistening off of it, "have fun tonight!"

The sign had been given and the music filled the air, raising above the chatter of the suddenly excited Gods and Goddesses, stifling the room even more than it was before. Shouyou's mind was spinning with all the noise and what was undoubtedly about to happen.

Tobio wasn't there.

Shouyou would have to choose someone to marry.

He grabbed a cup from one of the servants and quickly drained its contents. Whom should he choose? Who would even attend the meeting later, from the Gods he was somewhat interested in?

He knew for one that the God of Beauty was more often than not found at the side of the short-tempered God of Patience, so he might have been out. Shouyou really didn't want to break anyone's relationship just to spite his father.

The God of Chaos, whose black-streaked white hair stood out in the room catching everyone's attention, was an option alright. Shouyou liked him enough to consider marriage. But the God of Balance who was always there to temper his friend's enthusiasm looked way too comfortable with the other's arm thrown loosely around his shoulders.

There was the Goddess of Compassion waving to Shouyou with a reassuring smile to which he answered with a strange grimace that could barely pass off as a smile. She was a beautiful and kind Goddess, but Shouyou felt for her more like for a sister than a possible life-partner, although if he had to choose a life without love, a solid friendship like that could be his salvation.

Next was the God of Silence, whom Shouyou could appreciate for being a good listener and not a bother at all during the years to come of their marriage, but... Silence wasn't what he was looking for. He was the God of Pleasure, he thrived on noises and music, on art, nature, everything pretty, everything exciting.

Of course, there was also the God of Languages, whom Shouyou has met on occasion and liked rather than tolerated. His reasoning on this was simple, and he believed too simple with a gentle scorn towards his own position. After all, languages meant fluency of the tongue. And that meant Lev would most probably be incredibly good at kissing... and other oral stuff Shouyou did not feel inclined to bring up around his parents. But did he really want to hazard his future on a guess like that? Shouyou really wasn't sure.

And then there was the God of Deceit, who immediately caught Shoyou's eye and to be perfectly honest, there was something unconsciously drawing him to the other God. Not only was he pleasing to the eye - frankly every God or Goddess were, they were just born that way - but he was also mysterious. And from what Shouyou has heard from Kenma, the God of Art, who was a good friend of the God of Deceit, Kuroo was a deeply kind and fun to be around person. That, like nothing else, eased Shouyou's mind into a semblance of peace. But would Kuroo even want _him_?

Shouyou sighed shakily, reaching for another cup of ambrosia heavily mixed with wine. He shouldn't get drunk, not with the most important decision of his life hanging over his head and depending on the soundness of his judgement. But the nerves weren't helping either, he thought, drowning his cup dry.

He was considering taking another, when the flame of the torches flickered as if blown by the intangible wind, the night outside blackening. No one else seemed to notice, but Shouyou's mind was quick to jump to conclusions. Or more precisely - one conclusion.

Tobio was there.

Before he could turn around and sneak off to find him though, the door to the hall blasted open, the music halting with a screech of uncontrolled instruments. Shadows grew and licked at the heels of those closest to the entrance as a lone figure cloaked in a mantle of darkness stepped through the threshold. Gods and Goddesses alike parted in front of the God of War who confidently walked forward, his very presence putting everyone at unease with the stench of blood and decay following his every move.

Daichi rose from his chair at the front of the room, his face a morose frown that Shouyou could clearly see from the other side of the hall.

"What do you want here, Kageyama?" Daichi asked, his voice loud and clear in the suddenly silent room. "You were not invited."

"Oh, but I was," the God of War replied, and Shouyou shaking a little - he didn't knew if it was from happiness or nerves - took this moment to make his way through the crowd to stand at Tobio's side.

Whispers started around them altogether, the shock, disgust, even fear, colouring the air. There you go, Shouyou thought, the scandal you all so desperately wanted. But he couldn't care less at that moment. Tobio looked at him long and hard, one of his hands rising to swipe a thumb across his cheekbone and Shouyou exhaled at the comforting warmth of the gesture.

"Are you okay?" Tobio asked quietly, his face still hard and grim for the public, but eyes looking down at Shouyou with gentle concern.

"Now I am," he replied with a smile, a smile free and unbound, just as he himself felt now.

And then they turned to face the God of Justice. Together.

"What is the meaning of this Shouyou?" Daichi's dangerously quiet voice was like a bang in the stillness of the hall.

"You wanted me to settle down and marry and I agreed. Tonight I was supposed to choose the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I just did." he answered, holding his head high. "He is my choice."

Shouyou turned his face to Tobio, smiling a little as he felt the God's hand grab at his - steady and reassuring. He squeezed back in thanks, a new sense of calm washing over him. Tobio was at his side, he was there to support him, to have him, to fight for him. _Tobio wanted him_.

"I will not allow it."

Shouyou's head snapped up, eyes narrowing at his father's figure.

"Why?" he bit out, anger colouring his voice.

"He's dangerous, uncontrollable," Daichi moved towards them from the front of the room, his eyes firmly trained on Tobio, as if watching out for the invisible trap. "I will not have my son tainted by the likes of him."

"You don't trust him, I get it," Shouyou took a short breath which did nothing to calm the shimmering rage inside his chest. He took a step forward and stood before Tobio, as if to protect him with his own body. But it was different, he knew Tobio didn't need the protection. All he wanted was to look into his father's eye - to _make him look_ at him as he should be. "But why can't you trust me, father? You were the one to teach me how to judge someone's character. I am your son. Why can't you trust me to make a good call?"

"Then as my son, you should trust your father to know what is good for you," Daichi replied, his eyes boring into his with the intensity that made Shouyou want to cower.

His father was scary when he wanted to be. But this was too important to bow down, he thought, taking a step towards him to give himself some courage.

" _He_ is good for me," Shouyou stood his ground, fists clenched at his sides. _Believe me_ , he thought, desperately wishing for his father to just accept them. _I love him_.

Daichi's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying that your judgement is better than that of the God of Justice?"

No, I'm not. Shouyou suddenly felt like crying. Why was this so hard? Why was his father making it so difficult? He didn't even know Tobio! How could he ever make Daichi see...

Amber eyes steeled, calm and serious, the strange intensity that sometimes overtook him hanging heavily in the air.

"Yes, I am," he said in a harsh voice, hearing the Gods all around them gasp at the sheer audacity of his comment.

Daichi seemed to be frozen in his spot, his eyes widened in shock as he stared at his son. The guilt hit Shouyou hard. This wasn't what he wanted, not at all. He just wanted Daichi to see that Tobio meant the world to him, to just give the God of War the benefit of the doubt and a chance to prove himself to not be the plague that was described in rumours. It could have all been resolved peacefully, Shouyou knew. If only Daichi would let them talk...

"I can take him," Tobio's quiet voice broke the tense silence, everyone's attention snapping to the glowing eyes of the God of War. "I can take him away and you will never see him again," he said, looking at Daichi challengingly. "Is that what you want? To never see your son again?"

The God of Justice's brown eyes flashed in the sudden show of power, his buttons clearly pushed enough for one day, and Shouyou watched as he whipped his hand back, prepared to strike a blow, when a gentle yet firm hand fell on his arm, stopping it.

"That is enough," the God of Wisdom's softly spoken voice was nowhere to be found as a steely command was uttered to both Daichi and Tobio. Shouyou would have sighed in relief, if not for the stern look on his mother's face. "You are all behaving like children. Is this really how the God of Justice should act, Daichi?"

A single glare from Koushi shut off any possible response the God of Justice could have come up with and Daichi's lips pursed into a single, tight line.

"Do you remember what I told you back when I accepted your marriage proposal?" Koushi asked Daichi, his hand running up and down the other's arm soothingly. At the short nod, he continued: "It seems like our son inherited my gift."

Daichi's eyes glanced from his husband to Shouyou, as if to see if he could find the invisible proof that Koushi was telling the truth. Shouyou tensed a little, but he knew that once mom had taken a stand, dad was sure to follow. He believed the God of Wisdom's words more than either of them would ever dare to admit.

"You should trust his judgement on this one. After all, you are not omniscient. Maybe there is more to the God of War than we know from the stories?" Koushi turned to face Shouyou and Tobio, his serious eyes turning all the more threatening thanks to the small smile on his lips. "And if not, I will gladly lend you a hand in getting sufficient retribution."

"But until then..." Koushi took a few steps to stand before Shouyou, raising his hands to cup his son's face. "You have our blessing."

A light kiss was placed on Shouyou's forehead and he blinked, right away smiling up at his mother, who also answered with a smile. And then he moved to Tobio and since the other was quite a bit taller, raised his hands and waited for the God of War to lean down. To Shouyou's delight - partly because of the uncomfortable look on Tobio's face, partly because of the joy that they were actually being given a chance to openly be together - Tobio allowed a kiss to his forehead.

Koushi then turned to his husband, a hand still laying on Tobio's shoulder.

"Daichi?" he questioned, and all eyes turned to the God of Justice awaiting his verdict.

Shouyou watched his father, praying for him to relent, his heart soaring when the God finally sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He walked up to Shouyou and kissed him on the forehead in the same gesture of blessing Koushi made before. Then he stepped around him, eyes hardening and made his way to Tobio. The two stared at each other for a while and then, to Shouyou's and everyone else's surprise, Tobio bowed his head slightly. And Daichi brushed his lips over his forehead too.

"I will rain hell on you if you hurt my son," his voice was quiet enough to not let anyone other than those in immediate vicinity hear, and Tobio nodded the smallest bit. He would never do that, Shouyou knew.

"Let us feast now!" Daichi spread his hands, turning back to all the guests.

The music started again, and whispered conversations resumed all around the hall, while Daichi and Koushi returned to the front, leaving the two of them alone. No one dared approach them yet, Tobio's impressive glares keeping them at bay. Shouyou somewhat shyly grabbed Tobio's hand, receiving a little squeeze in return.

It was real. It was happening.

They could be together openly.

A tiny kiss to his temple brought him back and Shouyou looked up, the giddy smile never disappearing from his face.

"I can't stay," Tobio said, his other hand gently caressing Shouyou's cheek. "I'm in the middle of work, so I have to go back."

Shouyou nodded, his happiness dying just a little. But it was okay, it was alright, they had time. So he continued smiling at Tobio.

"I'll walk you back then," he offered, and without waiting pulled the God of War towards the exit.

They walked in silence, holding hands, their shoulders brushing from time to time in a subtle, comforting reminder of the other's presence. The Gods and Goddesses parted for them, watched, whispered, but they ignored them and their looks - some of disapproval, some of fascination, some even of fear.

They stopped next to the four-horsed black as the night chariot and Shouyou turned to Tobio. He just looked for a while, finding himself at a loss of words. He was happy, so incredibly happy he couldn't voice this feeling. So instead of that, he put his free hand over Tobio's heart, the slow rise and fall of the God's chest and the pulsing beat at Shouyou's fingers making him realize just how much he actually loved the being before him.

With a soft, affectionate smile, he looked up.

"Thank you," he said. "For coming, for wanting me, for—"

Tobio bent down and kissed the rest of the sentence from his lips, hand sneaking up to tilt his chin slightly to the side. It was soft and caring, baring all of the emotions that Tobio felt for him but could never find the right words for, and Shouyou just leaned into him with all he got, allowing himself a moment to appreciate the feelings behind the kiss, not the pleasure spiking down his spine.

"I would rather lose a war than lose you," Tobio said when they parted, and crushed him in his arms, which Shouyou supposed was the way to hide the flush of embarrassment at his cheesy words.

When he glanced up and caught the God's face he only smiled and burrowed deeper into the warm embrace. Tobio could give an impression of a cool, indifferent God, but in reality that was just a facade that hid his vulnerability from the rest of the world. And Shouyou was one of the very few who could glimpse past it on occasion.

"I have to go," Tobio finally repeated, and Shouyou reluctantly stepped away.

With the final kiss to Shouyou's head, Tobio jumped on his chariot, the shadows creeping around his ankles.

"Go win," Shouyou commanded with a smile.

"Like I'd ever lose," Tobio snorted as if offended by the mere thought, but Shouyou noticed the little quirk to his lips.

The reins snapped sharply through the air vibrating with music coming from the hall, the horses starting into a gallop that soon took them off the ground. The smell of gunpowder and burning wood hit Shouyou in the face, but he stood by, watching the chariot being swallowed into the darkness of the night.

Tobio's words were true. He could never lose. He would never lose. Not any war, not the God he loved, not himself.

For the many years to come Shouyou would make sure of that.

**Author's Note:**

> so here's the actual list of the gods that I came up with for a clearer view if you need it:  
> hinata — the god of pleasure  
> kageyama — the god of war  
> daichi — the god of justice  
> suga — the god of wisdom  
> tsukki — the god of lies (he more often than not hides his vulnerability behind them)  
> yamaguchi — the god of virtue  
> oikawa — the god of beauty (obviously duh)  
> iwaizumi — the god of patience (not when oikawa’s involved lol)  
> bokuto — the god of chaos  
> akaashi — the god of balance (to keep bokuto in check or else he’d destroy the realm)  
> yachi — the goddess of compassion  
> kenma — the god of art  
> kuroo — the god of deceit (he rarely appears as the same person, call him a shifter or a trickster and you'd be right)  
> aone — the god of silence  
> lev — the god of languages (welp)  
> asahi — the god of temperance  
> nishinoya — the god of mischief  
> tanaka — the god of music (now that is hilariously tragic bc he’s the noisiest of the bunch and his voice is clearly NOT the music to their ears)  
> and kiyoko bc I wanted to include her but didn’t ;u; — the goddess of misery (bc she puts everyone in it with her beauty and kindness) 
> 
> anyone who wants to make any use of this au at all is free to do so ;3
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: Faux_Fox wrote a sequel for this au (and gave life to my further visions, god bless u for listening to my crazy ideas, sweetheart), so if any of you guys are interested, please check it out! it's called [By Your Side](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3370112).
> 
> EDIT2: the amazing kagamiyoneko drew some incredibly cute fanart of kagehina and their little baby, which you can find here - [(x)](http://kagamiyoneko.tumblr.com/post/111521408620/i-would-rather-lose-a-war-than-lose-you-fanart). please check it out!
> 
> EDIT3: we have another sequel!!!!! written by [ lalers](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lalers/pseuds/lalers) \- [ i've become what i can't be](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7368727/chapters/16736803) give it a read if you feel like it!


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